In July 1999, the Library decided to develop
an in-house classification scheme for feature films as a way to better
facilitate browsing once the videos (and as of March 2000, DVDs) are
moved into public space. We appropriated the PZ schedule, which LC uses
for children's fiction and formerly used for popular fiction, and which
we do not use locally. We did not want to take a letter, for example
PX, that LC might in the future decide to expand a topic into, such
as they recently did by developing ZA for internet titles.
Each country of origin for a film will have its own number, with the
first cutter for director, the second cutter for title, and then the
date. If a foreign film has subtitles, then it will get a translation
cutter added to the title cutter. If a film is dubbed, we will do the
same thing. If we get both, we will differentiate by date or work letter
after date. Similarly, if we have both a video and a DVD of the same
title, the second format will be treated like a different edition. If
published in the same year, the second will get a work letter after
the date.
